By Rich Winter

605 Sports 

SPEARFISH — Mobridge-Pollock used a quick start and a strong finish on their way to a 50-40 win over Mount Vernon/Plankinton in consolation action at the Class A girls state basketball tournament in Spearfish Friday. 

After being saddled with foul trouble during Thursday’s loss against Hamlin, Mobridge-Pollock junior Blake Thompson rebounded with an 18 points, 11 rebound performance in the win. 

“She had that early foul trouble yesterday and it took her out of the game and it killed her to sit on the bench,” Stephen Hettick, Mobridge-Pollock coach said. “We knew she would have a hunger today. Late in the game they were faceguarding her and she took a defender away and that allowed us to play four-on-four down the stretch.”

Thompson received an unexpected lift late Thursday when her sister TyRel, who lives in Phoenix, showed up unexpectedly and surprised little sister. 

“She has been my role model ever since I was little and I always wanted to be exactly like her,” Blake Thompson said. “I had no idea she was coming so when she came I ran up and gave her the biggest hug ever. I just remember I never wanted to let her go. It was great that she came and surprised me because I don’t get to see her all that often.” 

Unfazed by Thursday’s loss, Mobridge-Pollock came out firing on all cylinders Friday. 

Faith Heil and Tegan Konold scored early buckets before Charley Henderson’s hoop gave the Tigers a 6-0 lead. Konold knocked down a 3-pointer with 4:05 remaining in the first quarter that opened up a 9-0 advantage. 

Mount Vernon/Plankinton’s Alyssa Johnson finally broke the ice with a basket at the 3:45 mark of the quarter but Mobridge-Pollock led 15-5 after the first quarter. 

“We just kinda reset our mindset and had confidence in ourselves,” Thompson said. “It was a hard loss for us last night so coming back strong was big for us.” 

Thompson’s 3-pointer at the 4:18 mark of the second period gave Mobride-Pollock a 20-6 lead. 

The lid finally came off the basket for the Titans as Laycee Bruns hit a 3-pointer, Madalynn Lorang a two-pointer and Taryn Hegg hit a pair of free throws that cut the lead to 22-15 at halftime. 

Thompson found her range in the third period knocking down three, 3-pointers and helping the Tigers extend the lead to 35-26 after three quarters. 

Mount Vernon/Plankinton found another gear in the final period after Reagan Rus knocked down a 3-pointer and Bruns connected on a layup. The Titans closed the gap to 39-34 on a Hegg 3-pointer but Henderson, Heil and Brooke Bain scored consecutive baskets as the Tigers took back the double-digit lead, 46-35 with three minutes remaining in the ball game. 

Henderson finished with 11 points, three rebounds and five steals. Heil added eight points while Konold and Bain combined to score 13 points.

For Hettick and the team, advancing to Saturday’s consolation championship is proof positive these Tigers belong among the top Class A teams in South Dakota. 

“We had a lot of people saying we are here and that’s such a great accomplishment but that’s not the whole battle,” he said. “We came here to show that we are right there with everyone in the state. It was a tough one yesterday and we had some foul trouble but we were right there with them. We knew we could win two more games and the girls showed up focused and ready to play and had a gritty effort and got it done.”

The Tigers play Sioux Valley on Saturday for the Class A consolation championship. 

Rus powered the Mount Vernon/Plankinton effort with 15 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and four steals. Hegg and Bain each finished with eight points for the Titans. 

Mount Vernon/Plankinton will play Wagner for seventh place on Saturday.